Funnel.



No; 633,628. Patantd Sept." 26', 1899'.

E. W. VADHER.

FUNNEL.

(Application filed June 15, 1399.)

(No Model.)

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lJNiTED STATES PATENT Orrtcnt ERNEST IV. VAOl-IER, OF ROSELAND, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY FISHER, OF ALBANY, OHIO.

FUNNEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,628, dated September 26, 1899.

Application filed June 15,1899. Serial. No. 720,655. (No model.)

To H, 207mm it may concern.-

lle it known that I, ERNEST WV. VAOHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roseland, in the parish of Tangipahoa and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Funnel, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for filling lamps, jugs, and other vessels in which the filling up thereof cannot be readily seen, and has for its object to combine asiphon with a funnel in such a manner as to indicate when the vessel is nearly filled and to prevent spilling by an overflow of the contents thereof.

To these ends the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the reservoir of a lamp, having the improved funnel applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View thereof. Figs. 3 and 4c are modified forms of the invention. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation showing an indicator attachment for the funnel.

Corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings are designated by like characters of reference.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a funnel of common form having the lower end closed, as at 2, and provided with a transverse opening 3, formed through one side and at or near the closed bottom thereof. Fitted to the outer side of the funnel and communicating with the opening is a tube 4:, which is closed at its lower end by an extension 5 of the bottom of the funnel. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the funnel forms one side of the tube at. This tube extends upwardly alongside of the funnel for a suitable distance and is provided at its upper end with an outwardly-extending horizontal branch 6, and inclined downwardly and outwardly from the outer end of the branch tube 6 is a pendent tube 7, having its lower discharge end 8 located below the plane of the bottom of the funnel or the inlet of the tube 4, whereby the tubes 4, (i, and 7 are adapted to form a siphon for emptying the funnel. It is preferable, although not essential, to have the lower end of the discharge-tube 7 located below the bottom of the funnel or the inlet-tube 4, and said discharge-tube may be arranged vertically, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, instead of being inclined outwardly, as hereinbefore described. A suitable ring 14 is provided near the upper edge of the funnel, whereby the latter may be conveniently hung up.

In the operation of the device, as best shown in Fig. 2, the discharge-leg 7 of the siphon is introduced into the filling-opening 9 of the reservoir of the lamp 10, so that the horizontal branch pipe 6 rests across one side of the upper edge of the filling-opening 9, as at 11, and the leg 7 engages against the opposite inner wall thereof, as at 12, whereby the funnel is held in place and does not require to be supported by the hand of the operator. At the points where the discharge-tube 7 and the transverse tube 6 engage the Walls of the opening 9 said tubes are provided with suitable serrations or corrugations 15, so that a positive and efficient engagement may be had between the tubes and the walls of the opening. The oil with which the lamp is to be filled is poured into the funnel, and as the level thereof rises in the funnel the oil will pass upwardly through the leg 4 to the transverse branch [5 and thence through the dischargeleg 7 into the interior of the lamp. hen the lower end 8 of the leg 7 has become submerged by the oil in the lamp, the flow of the oil from the funnel to the lamp will be checked, and the oil will then flow slowly, thereby indicating that the lamp is nearly filled. After the flow of the oil has thus been checked the supply of oil to the funnel is stopped and the level of the oil therein is permitted to fall below the horizontal branch tube 6, so that no more oil can pass into the lamp and overflow of the oil is prevented. The funnel may be removed from the lamp after the oil has stopped running without spilling the latter.

The modification illustrated in Fig. 3 shows the siphon-tube 20 connected to the funnel at one end only and not extending upward against the funnel, while in Fig. 4 has been illustrated a flexible tube 21 to facilitate the filling of jugs. In this latter form the funnel has no means of support and must be held by the hand of the operator.

It will be noted that in all forms but that shown in Fig. t the bottom of the funnel is located below the highest portion of the siphon-tube and also below the fillingopening of the vessel, whereby the funnel cannot become entirely emptied, and thereby the vessel cannot be filled to overflowing. Furthermore, the highest portionof the tube is also located intermediate of the top and bottom of the funnel, so that the liquid may flow from the funnel through the siphon-tube.

In Fig. at the funnel has been shown with a flexible tube forming the siphon member, and as that portion of the tube which is connected with the funnel will naturally extend downwardly therefrom it is not necessary that the bottom of the funnel be located below the fillingopening of the vessel so long as the lower bend of the tube is located below said filling-opening.

The indicating device for determining when the vessel is nearly filled is clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and comprises a float 16, having a central stem 17 passing loosely through alined openings 18 and 19, respectively, formed through opposite sides of the discharge-tube 7, the float being located in vertical alinement with the open lower end of said discharge-tube. It will be Also the float is adapted to rise against the lower end of the tube 7 and close the same, as indicated in dotted lines, thereby automatically cutting off the supply of liquid and effectually preventing an overfilling of the vessel.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a funnel, of a siphontube having the highest portion thereof located intermediate of the top and bottom of the funnel, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a funnel, of a rigid tube communicating at its lower end with the interior of the funnel and extending upwardly and terminating short of the top of the funnel, a transverse tube in communication with the upper end of the upwardly-extending tube, and an outwardly-inclined tube pendent from the outer end of the transverse tube, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a funnel having a closed bottom, an extension thereof projecting at one side of the funnel, and a transverse opening provided through the latter side and immediately above the projecting extension, of

an upwardly-extending tube connected ex-,

teriorly to the funnel communicating laterally through the opening therein and closed at its lower end by the bottom extension of the funnel, a transverse tube communicating with the upwardly-extending tube, and an ontwardly-inclined tube pendent from the outer end of the transverse tube, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing'as my own I have hereto affixed, my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST \V. VACIIER. iVitnesses:

J. W. EASLEY, WM. L. J OHNSON. 

